


One Week

by ToLiveBeyondTheStars (naomilpick)



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-04
Updated: 2016-02-24
Packaged: 2018-05-18 05:43:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 12,778
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5900518
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/naomilpick/pseuds/ToLiveBeyondTheStars
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What happens when a perpetually single person signs up to be married for a week to a complete stranger?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Day One

"My name is Emma Swan and I'm single as fuck." She looked directly into the camera as instructed as she said her line. As soon as the camera's recording light went off, her eyes wandered over to the man that sat a few feet away from her with his own camera as he spoke his name (Killian Jones) and the same line she was told to say. _Well, this is going to be interesting_ , Emma thought to herself.

She blew out a breath of air as she gets up and is motioned over to a table where the next bit of filming was going to take place. This was all Mary Margaret’s fault that she was even here. Sure, she needed the money, but when she’d agreed to do this she didn’t know she was signing up to be married to a stranger for a week.

The interviewer sits down across from her as Killian takes the seat beside her. "Okay, guys," he starts as the camera begins to record once again, "So here's what's going to happen. You're going to be married for one week."

Killian breathes out slowly as he shakes his head. "I have never had to plan my life around another person. I don't know if I'm ready for this." He chuckles somewhat awkwardly as he crosses his arms over his chest.

"Just imagine doing that for the rest of your life."

Emma gasps a little at Kyle’s statement, bringing her head to her chest. "I think I just felt my heart skip a beat at the thought of that."

The interviewer laughs at her confession. "Well, you only have to do this for little while, so don't freak out too much. What you're going to do is eat, sleep, and live together for a whole week. You will need to communicate on a daily basis and coordinate meals. And you will have to do two nice things for each other that are completely unplanned."

  
Out of the corner of her eye, Emma noticed Killian lift his hand and rub his forehead. Clearly, he wasn’t liking the sound of having to share a confined space any more than she was. "So one thing each?" Killian asks for clarification, but to his dismay, Kyle shakes his head.

"No, that's two things each for the other person. That means learning things about each other and using that information to do something nice."

"Simple enough." Emma says with a painted on smile.

Kyle laughs again. "Then let's get started on this. A camera will be in the apartment at all times, so I want you to act as naturally as possible. You will also do a video diary each day of the marriage."

"Let's do it." She glances over at Killian after he speaks to find his lips formed into a smirk.

_Great, he's a cocky bastard. With an accent. So he probably thinks he's all that and a bag of chips._

"Then, I now pronounce you man and wife."

The camera shuts off and she stands, shaking a smirking Kyle's hand before she turns to Killian. "I'm warning you now, don't fall in love with me."

“I think it more appropriate to tell you not to fall in love with me.” He smirks in her direction. “After all, I am devilishly handsome, not to mention charming.” A chuckle bubbles from his lip at the near sneer he receives in response. "You can follow me home"

“Why does it have to be your home?” She asks as they make their way out of the building and into the parking lot. “I have a perfectly good apartment of my own.”

“Well, love, I am the man of the house. It is my job to provide a roof over your head. Therefore, I think my place should be our little nest for the next week.”

 _And there is that smirk again. I swear it’s a permanent fixture on his face. But he does make a good point. Damn him._ She sighs and runs a hand through her hair. “Alright, then I guess I will need to go to my place first and get a few things.”

“Definitely make sure you pack something sexy to model for your husband.”

 _If he keeps this up, this week will surely be my own personal hell._ Emma rolls her eyes and goes to her car, but before she gets in, she calls out over her shoulder to him. “Don’t think you’re going to get lucky this week.” Your charm sure as hell isn’t going to work on me. 

\-----------------------------------------------------------

Emma pulls the few bags she packed for the week out of the trunk and walks to the door of Killian’s home- their home. For a week anyway. She knocks on the door, and a few seconds later, her “husband” pulls it open. He stares at her for a couple of moments before she finally speaks. “Well, are you going to carry me over the threshold?”

He gives her a look as though she had grown another head. “No, I'm not carrying you over the threshold. I believe you're perfectly capable of walking.”

He walks back inside before she huffs lightly and follows behind him. Carrying her own bags. “A real husband would have carried my bags for me.”

“Well, I'm not your real husband, so those rules don’t apply to me.”

The cameraman is already there and set up in the living room, filming their bickering. _Oh, he just gets more infuriating as time goes on_. She glares at his back as she drops her bag in the middle of the living room. “For all intents and purposes, you are my husband for the next week. You have to treat me like you would treat your real wife.”

A tiny scoff comes from his throat before he turns to face her. “I'm only doing this because they were offering money for this little experiment. I didn't want to get the real feeling of being in a marriage.” He pauses before that smirk of his is back in place. “Unless, of course, you want to feel as though this is a real marriage. I wouldn’t be opposed to certain aspects of being husband and wife.”

She rolls her eyes as she picks up her bag again. “Can you just tell me where our room is?”

“Our room?” She could just tell by the look on his face, that the ‘aspects of begin husband and wife’ he spoke of where definitely running through his mind right about now.

“Yes, we have to sleep in the same bed. That’s what Kyle said. And it’s just to sleep. So don’t go getting any ideas. Speaking of, do you snore? If so, I'll sleep on the couch.”

Killian huffs out a breath that she could clearly tell was annoyance before he turns and walks down the hall. Emma takes that as her queue to follow him again. “So where am I putting my stuff?”

“Just find a place.” He looks at everything in her arms. “Why did you bring so much anyway?”

“I'll be here for a week. I needed the necessities.” She lays her purse on the bed. The unmade bed. Her nose wrinkles at the sight of the messy room. “Do you ever clean this place? Or make your bed?”

“You never stop nagging do you?” His tone is nonchalant, but Emma could tell he was ready for her to shut up already.

She takes a slow breath in through her nose. _This is going to be a long week. I can feel it._ She leans down and opens her suitcase to pull out her toiletries bag. “I'm just going to put my things in the bathroom.”

 _I guess we should learn to start getting along, or this will just be unbearable_ , Emma thinks to herself as she walks past him. 

 

\-----------------------------------------------------------

Later that evening, after Emma had cooked them dinner and they had eaten, the man running the camera clears his throat. “I think it’s about time we get the first video diary recorded.”

Emma nods her head and stands up. “Let’s get this over with.” She follows the man back to the bedroom when he indicates for her to do so.

After everything is set up, she gets seated and looks into the camera lens to wait for her queue. When he gives it, she straightens up a little more before she speaks. “Well, I guess the first day has been eye opening. I can truly tell how good I am at being a single person. I honestly hope I don't kill him before the week ends.” She shakes her head as she laughs. “At least he's good to look at. I really can't complain about that.”

Emma tucks a strand of hair behind her ear. “I'm actually looking forward to a date night. I don't think I've been on a real date in about three years. Hopefully this will be more fun than awkward.”  
When the cameraman tells her she's got enough for today, she steps out of the room. “Alright, your turn, Killian.”

He nods and heads back to the room. As soon as he closes the door behind him, Emma presses her ear up against the door to listen. The sound is a bit muffled, but she can make out the words well enough.  
“So, you want to know what I'm thinking after day one? Well, she's already a typical nagging wife.”

 _I don’t nag!_ Emma thought with a frown. _What’s wrong with wanting a neat house?_

“She's complained about how I live. But I was a bachelor before this. I think it's perfectly normal for me to live this way.” She hears him pause a moment.

 _Probably to fix his hair_ , she thinks as she continues to listen.

“Anyways, I think I can handle her for a week. And I least I got paired with a hot wife.”

Emma rolled eyes, sensing his smirk even through the closed door.

“However, I feel by the end of the week, we may just want the other to shut up. She did mention we have to go grocery shopping because I don't know how to properly stock a kitchen. Her words, not mine. This should definitely be interesting.”

\-----------------------------------------------------------

After about an hour of watching television together, Emma stands from the couch. “I think I'm going to get ready for bed.”

“Sounds like a great idea.” Killian stretches a little and stands as well. He follows her into the bedroom, and pulls his shirt over his head.

Her eyes trail down his chest before she quickly averts them, fighting to keep the blush from coming to her cheeks. She opens her bag, and pulls out her tank top and shorts that she packed for pajamas and looks around a moment before she decides to go change in the bathroom.

“Why don’t you just change out here? I am your husband after all.” The suggestive tone was clear in his voice as he spoke causing her to roll her eyes once again.

Emma didn’t even need to turn around to know he was wearing that smirk again. “I am not changing in front of you. Sorry, casanova.” She closes the bathroom door behind her, and changes her clothes. She piles her dirty clothes in the corner of the bathroom and grabs her toothbrush.

Not a moment later, Killian knocks on the door. “Come on, love. I have to brush my teeth.”

“You’ll have to just be patient.” She says back as she turns the water on and proceeds with her nightly task. She hears him huff which causes her lip to turn up in a smirk and when she’s done, she turns off the water and opens the door, walking past him into the bedroom. “The bathroom is all yours.”

When Killian was finished and he walked back into the room, Emma stood at the foot of the bed, just staring at it. “I should inform you, I’m a bit of a cuddler when I sleep.”

 _Of course he is. That just makes this all the more better._ “Which side do you sleep on?”

“The right.”

“Well, I sleep on the right side. If I don’t, I can’t sleep at all.” Emma finally turns to face him as she talks.

“That seems quite the shame.” He says before moving to the aforementioned side. “If you need help getting to sleep, I would be happy to oblige.”

She climbs into the left side of the bed, covering herself with the covers. “Of course, you would.” The words come out of her mouth in a mutter and she’s not sure whether Killian hears them or not, but he doesn’t make another comment as he slides beneath the covers beside her.

“Goodnight, Husband.”

Emma feels the bed move slightly as a small laugh comes from his mouth. “Goodnight, Wife.”

 _Let the countdown to the end of the week begin._


	2. Day Two

On the morning of the second day, Emma tried to roll over in the bed, only to find herself confined by two arms and a warm body. She let out a groan as a she opened her eyes and tried to get away from Killian’s hold.

 _Of course, he was serious when he said that he was a cuddler,_ she thought as she continued to  try and free herself from his hold. After several long minutes without success, she finally gave up. It was no use, he had a strong grip! _I need to teach this man the meaning of personal space._

“Good morning, love,” was the sleep-filled voice she heard a few seconds later. “Now, this isn’t so bad. It’s better than waking up alone. Don’t you think?”

She turned her head as much as she could to look up at his face, the slight smirk already there on his lips. “If being restrained by a boa constrictor is your kind of thing, then I guess so.”

His chest rumbles with a chuckle as he loosens his grip around her middle. “I’m sorry about that, but to be fair, I did warn you.”

“You did.” Emma moved away from him a little (not really wanting to give up the warmth, but not wanting him to know that), and turned the rest of the way to face him. “I could do with some breakfast, however. What is my husband in the mood for?”

A real grin broke out across his features as she spoke. “That was very convincing. Not a hint of sarcasm.”

“I don’t play when it comes to food.”

As he looked at her, she began to notice how beautiful his smile really was. And even though it was true,  it did not mean she liked him anymore than she did yesterday. He was still a very conceited individual who thought he deserved everything simply because of how good he looked. Not that she thought he was good looking. Emma didn’t think that at all. Well, except perhaps when he’s lying there with no shirt on.

“I think some eggs and bacon sound delightful this morning.” He rolled onto his back and threw an arm over his eyes. “I like my eggs sunny side up.”

“Coming right up.” Emma sits up in the bed, causing the sheets to slide down his body exposing more of his bare chest. She couldn’t help but stare at his defined abs, he clearly worked out frequently. Then her eyes caught sight of the trail of hair that disappeared beneath his sleep pants. She would probably never admit the turn her thoughts took in that moment. But where was the harm in staring? It wasn’t like he was watching her, so she could avoid any teasing for now. Nevertheless, his great body didn’t make up for his obnoxious tendencies.

She slid out of the bed, opting to stay in her pajamas as her feet slightly shuffled along to the kitchen. She began to pull out the ingredients and the pans she needed to get started on breakfast. She hummed a tune as she worked, turning the switch on the stove to turn on the burners. She put some butter in the pan for it to melt before she cracked two eggs into it. In the other pan, she put in a little oil and began to fry the bacon Killian had also requested.

“If you keep my apartment smelling like this in the morning, I might have to keep you around longer than a week.”

Emma jumped in surprise when she heard him speak, not having heard him walk in the room. “God, you scared me.” Think of the Devil and the Devil shall appear _._ “But sorry, I’m only here for the week. Nothing more than that.” Which was definitely a good thing, because Emma didn’t think she could handle more than a week of domestic bliss.

She watched him as he moved past her into the kitchen and pulled out a couple of mugs from the cabinet. “Do you like coffee?”

“Yes, thank you,” she answered. It seemed he was capable of being thoughtful after all. Maybe there was more to Killian Jones than he let on. 

With his back to her, she watched as he got the coffee maker down from one of the cabinets and set it on the counter. Opening the top, he placed a filter in the machine and then scooped out three good sized spoonfuls of ground coffee, closed the lid and pushed the button to turn the maker on.

While she finished cooking breakfast, Emma realized something. They had managed to get through the morning so far without any arguing or snide remarks. It seemed that in just a short time they managed to make some progress towards getting along, and she had no doubt the viewing audience was getting a kick out it.

“How do you take your coffee, love?” His question brought her out of her thoughts as he put some cream and sugar in his cup.

“Pretty much just like that. Except milk instead of creamer. I think the flavor is better that way.” She dished the eggs and bacon out of the pans and placed them onto two plates as he fixed her coffee the way she requested. _This isn’t so bad_ , she thought to herself. 

Killian took the coffee mugs over to his small dining room table, and Emma followed behind him with the food and silverware. They sat across from each other, mostly eating in silence, except for the occasional scrape of utensils against the plates.

Emma really could not think of anything to say as she took another bite of her eggs. She’d never stayed with a man long enough to have breakfast together. She usually got what she wanted from them and left.

“So,” Killian said a bit awkwardly to break the silence, “is eggs and bacon your go to breakfast?”

She met his eyes across the table and gave a small shrug as she swallowed her bite. “Usually. Sometimes I’ll make cinnamon rolls with extra icing.”

“Oh, I like cinnamon rolls.” He gave her a small smile before they fell back into silence.

It didn’t take long for all the food to be eaten, and when it was gone, Killian leaned back in his chair. “Definitely think I should keep you around longer than a week. Your cooking is great.”

“Thanks.” Emma’s face flushed at his comment as she stood and took the empty plates with her to the sink. “We still need to go to the grocery store today. Unless you just want to eat Ramen noodles or corn dogs.”

He walked up behind her, his chest pressing against her back as he placed the coffee mugs into the sink, his other hand coming to rest on her side lightly. Clearly, he was trying to get under her skin on purpose. “You don’t see me judging you by your food choices.”

Emma was made very aware of every inch of his body that was touching hers. “That is because I make good choices.” Despite this close proximity, she managed to keep her breathing even. He didn’t need to go around thinking he had any affect on her.

“Does that only include food?” he asked, his voice low and husky in her ear.

Emma couldn’t let him win. This was some sort of game to him, and she would not be his prize. No matter how his deep voice made her insides feel a little like mush. She finished the dishes and turned around, their faces just inches apart from each other. “Must you always say something obnoxious?”

“I’m sorry.” He was clearly not sorry by the way his tone went from flirty to teasing in an instant. “I was under the impression that a husband and wife could flirt with each other.”

Emma put her hand on his chest, and pushed him back. “That’s not part of the rules. Now, I would appreciate it if you would respect my personal space.”

“As you wish.” He emphasized the words with a bow like you would see in fairy tales before he turned and walked back to the bedroom to take his morning shower.

One of Emma’s hands came up and ran through her hair as she let out a breath she didn’t realize she was holding. She couldn’t deny it, there was some part of her that was affected by his charm, but she sure as hell wasn’t going to let him in on that little secret.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Later that morning, they arrived at the grocery store and Emma went to grab a cart from the front while Killian waited for her by the produce. _This shouldn’t be hard_ , Emma thought to herself. Though having a camera following you around did make it a little awkward.

“Okay, love. You’re the food expert. What is first on our list?” His hands were shoved into his jean pockets as he walked beside her.

Reaching in her purse, she pulls out a small pad of paper that she had written her shopping list on, and stopped a moment to read it over. “It looks like we’ll start in the back with the dairy products and work our way forward towards the freezer items.”

His head nodded in acknowledgement as she spoke. “Then lead the way.” He gestured her forward and followed her as she walked. “Think we can get something sweet for dessert tonight? Perhaps, ice cream?”

Emma looked over at him and nodded. “Ice cream sounds great to me,” she answered with a smile. As they continued to walk through the store, Killian would throw in other various junk food items causing Emma to just shake her head and mutter things about ‘early heart disease’.

As they walked past the ladies’ bra and underwear section, Killian picked up a lacy bra, asking how it would look on him instead of her. “Maybe, you’ll just have to buy it and see. But I bet you wouldn’t have the guts to do it.” She smirked and shrugged, knowing that he would likely accept the challenge she just presented him with.

Killian seemed to think it over a minute and then with a raised eyebrow, asked. “What do I get if I do it?”

Emma lifted her head slightly to think about that before she turned back to him. “Perhaps, I’ll model some underwear for you as I change for bed tonight.” _Way to be bold, Emma._ But she meant what she said. He hadn’t made her feel uncomfortable in well over a few hours. What was the harm? It wasn’t like she was going to sleep with him.

His eyebrows lifted in delight at the thought. “Now, I will surely do it,” and with that he tossed the garment into the cart.

Emma rolled her eyes, not because she was annoyed with him, but because she knew he’d come up with some smartass response like that. “We need to go pay, so we can get home and put the cold stuff away.” She turned her head to hide the slight red tint to her cheeks, and she was beginning to wonder why he was suddenly making her blush like a teenager.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Later that evening, as Emma was in the kitchen putting away the leftovers from dinner and loading the dishwasher, Killian called from the living room.“Shall we watch a movie while we eat our ice cream?”

She nodded her head before she realized he couldn’t see her and called out to him. “That sounds like a good idea to me. You can choose.”

When she walked out into the room a few minutes later with their dessert and a couple spoons, the DVD menu clearly showed that he had selected a horror film for them to watch. “I don’t know if these kinds of movies scare you, but if they do, you can always hold onto me.” Killian teased her as he dropped onto the couch in front of the tv.

“I think I’ll be alright, thanks.” She sat down on the opposite end of the couch, so he wouldn’t think if she did get scared, she had any intention of letting him know it.  Although, she had already starting to grow more comfortable around the man.

Emma handed him one of the pints of ice cream before she opened her own and took a bite. He pressed play on the remote and she pulled her legs up to tuck them under her.

A short time into the movie, Killian reached over and nudged her with his elbow. “Would you like to try some of my mint chip? I bet it’s better than that rocky road that you got.”

“In your dreams, Killian.” She held her spoon out for him, intending for him to just take it from her. “Here, try this.” However, instead of taking the spoon, he placed a gentle hold on her wrist and brought the spoon to his lips, slowly taking the bite she offered.

“Mm, not bad,” he replied. “Now try mine, love.” He held out his spoon with a scoop of mint, but rather than repeating his action, as he clearly intended for her to do, Emma took the soon from him and tried the offered bite.

“That is good, “ she said. “I think I’ll have another bite.” Emma leaned in and used his spoon to dish out another bite, turning the spoon over in her mouth and made a show of taking a long, slow lick before handing it back to him. . He chuckled at her actions.

To the viewing audience , they looked like any normal married couple, not one that was being paid to do this. They actually looked happy to be in each other’s company.

Her eyes widened just slightly as he reached up and swiped his thumb over her lip, catching the drip of ice cream there. He gave her a smirk before he sucked the sweetness off pad of his thumb.

Emma stared at him with an awestruck expression, her eyes moving between his mouth and his eyes, before she registered what she was really doing. “Thank you.” The words came out of her mouth awkwardly before she turned her head back to the tv screen to watch the movie. She focused closely to avoid Killian’s looks just as the psycho killer jumped from behind the bushes to attack. She screamed and jumped, before burying her face in Killian’s shoulder. Realizing what she’d done, she blushed and looked up at him, already sensing the grin she found on his face. “Don’t say anything,” she warned.

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” he said, and  instead of some flirty comment, he simply draped his arm around her shoulders and when she didn’t brush it off,  he left it  there for the remainder of the movie.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Later that evening, Emma sat down at the dining room table for her daily video diary. She took a deep breath  before looking at the camera. “Today definitely went a lot better than I ever expected it to. I can say that I actually had fun shopping with Killian. It was quite the entertaining experience.” She giggled softly as she remembered their conversation in the lingerie section.  “If our dates turn out to be anything like today, then I really can’t wait.I feel things will only get more interesting from here. He’s not such a bad guy to have around.”

She finished her segment before standing and walking back to the bedroom. She heard Killian’s muffled voice filter down the hallway as she sat down on the bed to wait for him. She was dying to know if he was really going to model that lingerie like he said he would. _Saying something and doing something are two totally different things,_ she thought before the door opened and he walked in the room.

“The camera guy said he’s heading home after he makes sure the night camera’s are running.” He stopped in front of her and tilted his head to the side slightly. “Waiting up for me, love?”

“You wish.” She reached behind her back and pulled out the lacy lingerie they had bought earlier. “I am waiting to see if you're going to wimp out of our bet.”

His smirk was enough indication that he wasn't. “You're just dying to see me in something so revealing, aren't you?”

“I'm more anxious to see you make a fool of yourself,” she said with her own smirk on her lips. “But you may think whatever you like.”

He reached out and took the bra from her hands before he turned and walked into the bathroom to change.

 _This should definitely be interesting,_ she thought to herself as she leaned back against the bed on her hands.

“How do women hook this bloody thing without looking at it?” She heard the words of frustration through the door and she couldn't help but giggle.

“It takes years of practice,” she called back to him, trying and failing to keep the laugh out of her voice.

“It gives me a newfound respect for ladies underwear. That's for sure.”

A few minutes later, the door opened and Emma's eyes perked up. Killian emerged wearing the bra just as she had challenged, along with his boxers. She bit her lip as a laugh threatened to escape. Still her eyes trailed down his body much like they had this morning, except this time he was watching her stare.

“Seeing something you like, love?” His signature smirk was in place as her eyes snapped back to his.

“Of course not.” The defensive tone was obvious even to her own ears. “I'm simply amused you actually did this. Most men wouldn't have the balls.”

“Well, I'm not most men.” He winked and did a turn before walking back into the bathroom.  When he came out another minute later, he was back in his normal sweatpants that he wore to bed. He stood in front of her again, with his hands on his waist looking a bit impatient. “Alright, love, you’re turn. I'm waiting, Emma.”

She met his eyes before she rose off the bed. Her fingers gripped the hem of her t-shirt and pulled it up and over her head. She stepped past him to get to her suitcase and pull out a tank top for bed, but before she put it on, she undid the button of her jeans and pushed them down her legs.

Emma could hear Killian take in an audible breath of air, and she turned around to face him with a smirk in place once again. Even though she was a little nervous about standing in just her underwear in front of him, she made a show of walking towards him with her hips swaying back and forth. “Just so you know, you get to look, but you don’t get to touch. Don’t expect any more than that.”

“Wouldn’t dare,” he said as his eyes followed her every movement. He cleared his throat as she turned to grab her clothes for bed and pulled them on. He climbed into bed before she joined him, and turned off the light. “I’m sure the audience loved that.”

“I wouldn’t doubt it.” The words are followed by a yawn as she already began to fall asleep. “Night, Killian.”

“Goodnight, Emma.”

As sleep began to take over, she moved a tiny bit closer to the warmth of Killian’s body. _This is something I could get used to if I were to get married._


	3. Day Three

Emma woke up on the third morning to find the bed empty. She sighed as she rolled over onto his side and breathed in the scent he left on his pillow. It vaguely reminded her of spiced cinnamon. She appreciated that he was respecting her boundaries, but after a day of having a warm body beside her, she was starting to think maybe waking alone wasn’t something she wanted to do any more. And that thought unnerved her a little bit. How could she possibly think that, after only waking up with him one morning, she was ready for that kind of commitment? It’s not like she had feelings for the man. She was just enjoying the view, so to speak. Not that she would mention any of that to him. He would probably take that as invitation to get in her space again.

She rubbed the sleep from her eyes as she sat up in the bed. Where was he anyway? And then, as if silently answering her question, the smell of breakfast wafted into the room.

“Is he cooking?” Emma questioned to no one but herself. She threw the blankets aside and climbed out of the bed. Her feet padded across the carpet as she headed down the hallway to the kitchen.

Killian gave her a bright smile when she came into his line of sight. “Good morning, love. Are you hungry?”

She nods her head as she leans against the counter. “You’re making me breakfast this morning?”

“I believe the rules said two random acts of kindness each.” He flipped a pancake in the pan as he spoke. “This is my first. I figured you would not want to cook all the meals while you were here.”

“Well it certainly is kind.” Now, Emma had to do something even better to top his kind gesture. “So, I see you can cook using something other than a microwave,” she teased with a small, playful grin.

“Aren’t you just the comedian? For your information, I can cook. It’s just that when I get home from work most days, I’m so tired. I find that it’s easier to just whip up something simple rather than cook a full meal for just myself.”

“That makes sense.” He gave her a look of surprise, clearly in awe that she had actually agreed with him about something. “Shut up,” she said, picking up a straw from the dispenser on the counter, and throwing it at him. “I get it. I work all sorts of weird hours most of the time, well with this week being an exception for this experiment.”

He places a few more finished pancakes on the small pile and turns off the stove. “What is it you do for a living? I don’t think I ever asked you that..”

“I’m a bail bonds person. It’s not easy trying to catching people who skip bail, since most of the time they don’t want to be found. But I’m pretty good at it,” she finishes with a small shrug. She steps around him to the cabinets to grab a couple plates. “What about you?”

He took the plates from her hands when she offered them and put half of the stack of pancakes on each plate. “I’m a naval architect. Basically, I design and build ships. Which can be cause for late nights in the office when I’m trying to get a plan drawn up for a difficult client. Would you like syrup?” He handed the plates to her as he moved to the fridge.

“Yes, please.” Her answer comes out soft as she looks at his back. “I would have never guessed that about you, Killian.”

He threw her a small grin over his shoulder as he straightened back up. “I’m a man of many secrets, Emma.”

“I’m beginning to see that.” She turned away from him and took the plates to the table as he walked behind her with the syrup and two cups of coffee in his hands. Her coffee was made just the way she liked it. As she sat down, a smile came to her lips that he remembered such a small thing.

He took his seat and pushed the syrup to her. “Ladies first, love.”

“Such a gentlemanly thing to do.” She picked up the container and poured a hearty amount of the sticky liquid over her pancakes.

“I don’t think you’ve got enough syrup there.” A smirk spreads across his lips as he speaks. “And I’m always a gentleman.”

She chuckled faintly as she gave the syrup back to him. “Could have fooled me.”

“Well, I am going to make you eat your words, for tonight, I am going to take you out for a night of enchantment and fun,” he says smugly as he begins to eat his food.

“I’ll believe it when I see it,” she met his eyes as she took her own bite of the pancakes. Her eyes widened a second after she chewed the food. “This tastes amazing. You should cook more often. You’re really good at it.”

He shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly as he ate another forkful. “I’m average at best.”

“Now, you’re going to be humble?”

“In regards to cooking, I will never boast about my capability,” he grins at her playfully. “However, when it comes to charming and pleasuring a woman, I excell.”

Her cheeks flushed red at his words, and she looked down quickly to hide her reaction, which, no doubt the camera caught it. But she didn’t need to feed his ego anymore than already did. “I think I’m going to have lunch with my friend, Mary Margaret, sometime this week. She’s dying to know what’s going on.”

“Is that against the rules?”

Emma looked up and met his eyes again after her blush went away. “No one ever told me I couldn’t.”

“Well, I could hang with a few of my work mates while you’re gone.” He shoveled the last bite of his breakfast into his mouth. He stood a moment later and carried his plate and cup to the sink. “You can shower first if you want.”

“Thanks,” she said as she got up and moved over to the sink, placing her empty plate on top of his. Her hand grazed his arm, and she could have sworn she felt his body stiffen just slightly. “I won’t be long.”

“No problem.” It could have been her imagination, but it sounded as though he was holding his breath.

She smiled as she turned and headed back to the bathroom in their room, and closed the door behind her. She reached into the shower and turned on the water to adjust the temperature before she stripped out of her pajamas and climbed in. A sigh escaped her lips as the warm spray of the water hit her skin.

As she grabbed the shampoo and began to wash her hair, Emma’s mind wandered to the date Killian mentioned he was going to take her on tonight. What did he have in mind? But she was excited, perhaps even more so than she thought she would be. She rinsed the shampoo from her hair, and took up the conditioner next, working it through her golden strands.

After she had washed her body and rinsed that too, she turned the water off and stepped out of the shower. She looked around a moment before groaning in frustration. She had forgotten to grab a towel from the closet. “Of course.”

Emma turned the knob of the door and peaked her head out into the room. When she didn’t see Killian, she opened the door the rest of the way and proceeded to walk to the closet. Not more than a second later, the door to the bedroom flew open and in walked Killian. She screamed as she caught his eye before she hastily grabbed for the blanket on the bed and pulled it in front of her naked form. “What the hell are you doing in here?”

He averted his eyes quickly, but she knew he had gotten a view of her body. “You know, this is my room too. You should remember that when you feel like walking around without any clothes on.”

“For your information, I forgot a towel, and I was going to get one.”

“Ah, I see.” He scratched his head before turning around to give her a bit of privacy. When he did, she quickly moved to the closet and grabbed a towel, wrapping it around her. “Well, don’t take this the wrong way or anything, but you’ve got a great figure.”

Killian was obviously trying to make light of the situation. “You can turn around now,” she said avoiding his compliment. “I’m covered.”

“I didn’t mean to walk in on you like that,” he said as he turned back to face her. “I thought you were still in the shower. My apologies.”

Emma grabbed a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. “It’s okay. It was my fault for forgetting a towel.” She reached for her undergarments and made her way back to the bathroom.

 _Today is starting out wonderfully,_ she thought to herself sarcastically as she changed into her clothes. _I wonder what other fun surprises await me._

A knock sounds on the door a moment later. “Oh, Emma, you should dress warm for our date. Things might get a little chilly.”

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A few hours later, Emma slid into the passenger seat of Killian’s car with a jacket slung over her arm as he held open the door for her, giving her a small grin as he met her eyes. “See? I can be a gentleman.”

She merely chuckled in response as he closed her door and walked around to his side, climbing into the driver’s seat. “Where are you taking me?”

“If I told you that, it wouldn’t be a surprise,” he said as he started the car and pulled off toward their destination.

Her arms crossed over her chest at the same time that she huffed lightly. “You should know, I’m not one for surprises.”

He turned toward her a little with a small smirk, but still kept his eyes mostly on the road. “You’ll like this surprise. I can pretty much guarantee it.”

“Fine,” she mutters under her breath, hiding the fact that she was secretly excited.

The rest of the car ride passed with easy conversation. It was comfortable, even with a camera that had been set up on the dashboard to watch everything. She was beginning to see Killian as a friend, and being around him was becoming easier as the days progressed. She was even starting to see the charm he spoke of. But she refused to let herself succumb to it, as he claimed so many women had.

When he pulled into the parking lot of the indoor ice rink, she turned in her seat to face him. “Ice skating?” Her tone was full of surprise at his choice of a date activity. This was definitely not what she was expecting.

He turned his head after he parked the car and grinned at her brightly. “Indeed, love. Ice skating.” He unbuckled his seatbelt and let it slide into place before he got out and made his way to her side, opening the door for her again.

“I happen to really love ice skating,” she said as she climbed out of the car and met his gaze with a smile. “Good job so far.”

“I haven’t even had a chance to charm you yet.” He grinned as he took her hand, which she was surprised to find she didn’t mind, and led her inside the building. He rented them two pairs of skates and paid the man behind the counter a little extra so they could have one of the rinks in the place to themselves.

Once they both had their skates on and laced up good and tight, Emma made her way into the rink with Killian close behind her. “I don’t think I’ve been ice skating in months. I just don’t get the opportunity to go anymore with my job taking up so much of my free time.” She glided along the ice with a smile on her face. “I just find it really relaxing for me.”

“For me as well,” he said coming up closer to skate beside her. “My father used to take me ice skating all the time as a child. Well, before he left me and my brother.”

The way he abruptly ended the sentence made Emma guess he didn’t want to go into any detail about that topic. So she decided to take the safer route. “You have a brother?”

“Had,” was his simple reply. “He passed some time ago.”

“Oh.” So much for safer. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t-”

He held up a hand to cut off her apology. “That’s not necessary, you didn’t know,” he assured her with a smile. “His name was Liam, and he was a good man. Better than I ever hope to be. We worked together designing ships for some years. One night, we were driving home together, and it was late. We had a particularly picky client that day.” He smiled over at her and she could see that it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “We went through a green light and as we crossed the intersection, a drunk driver slammed into his side of the car. He didn’t even make it to the hospital.” The smile fell from his lips as he looked forward. “He didn’t deserve to die that way.”

She bit her lip as she reached out and took his hand in hers, gently squeezing in what she hoped was reassurance. “I really am sorry, Killian.”

When he smiled over at her again, she took that as a pretty good sign that she had succeeded. “It’s okay, I’ve learned to deal with it. But, we’re on a date, and I think we shouldn’t be talking about things that don’t involve you and me.”

“Ever the charmer,” Emma said with the tiniest of smirks on her lips. She left her hand in his since he didn’t seem to mind the contact as they continued to skate for about an hour.

They filled the time with pleasant conversations, learning new things about each other. Some things simple, such as their favorite colors, foods, and holidays. Other things more personal, like where they grew up, and their family lives.

“I grew up in the foster system,” she confessed as they talked. “My parents dropped me off at the hospital when I was a baby. I bounced around foster homes in Boston until I was 13 when I got adopted.” She couldn’t help but smile and chuckle at the memory. “Before I got adopted, I got into some trouble and I thought Ingrid wanted to send me back, but I found adoption papers in her bag when I accidentally knocked it off the kitchen counter. I was so happy, I practically knocked her over when she walked in the kitchen, and she was so confused until I showed her what I found.”

“Do you get to see her often?” Killian asked with genuine curiosity.

Emma nods her head. “I see her as often as I can when I’m not swamped with work.” She paused a second and looked over at him. “Hey, do you want to get a hot chocolate? The cold has made me crave one.”

“That sounds like a great idea.” He leads her back out of the rink, and they walk in their skates to the concession counter. He orders two, and when they’re handed the paper cups, they walk back to the rink and sit in the bleachers away from the crowd, apart from the cameraman.

She took the lid off her cup and blew on the hot liquid before she took a small sip. She hums as the chocolate slides down her throat, warming her from the inside. “Now, this is exactly what I needed.”

He nodded as he sipped his own hot chocolate. “Definitely hits the spot.” He glanced over at her with a smile and his gaze lingered longer than usual.

“Do I have some whipped cream on my face?” Emma, instantly paranoid about that, starting wiping her chin with the sleeve of her sweater.

Killian couldn’t help but laugh as he shook his head. “No, no. There’s nothing on your face. You’re just beautiful is all.” He shrugged like it was the simplest thing in the world.

Her cheeks flushed at his confession, and she looked down to avoid his gaze. “Thank you,” she said as she went back to sipping her beverage. _I guess he wants to make this feel more like a real date than a fake one._ The thought ran through her head as she looked back over at him again. “I guess you’re not so bad yourself.”

He chuckled as their eyes met. “That sounded so very sincere.”

“What can I say? I have a way with words.” She smirked as she lifted her cup to her lips once more and downed the last bit of chocolate and whipped cream.

Another chuckle came from Killian's lips a moment later. “Now, you have whipped cream on your face. Come here.” He leaned in towards her and used his thumb to swipe the cream from the very corner of her lips. Her breath caught as she locked eyes with him. After his compliment, she was beginning to feel like he was hoping for more to happen on this date. Emma couldn’t have that.

“Thanks,” she said simply as she turned away a moment later to hide the slight red tint in her cheeks. She tossed her paper cup over the side of the bleachers and it landed directly into the trash can below. She turned back with a beaming grin. “Please tell me you saw that?”

Killian smiled as he nodded. “That was lucky. Let a pro show you how it’s done.” He aimed his shot before taking it, and Emma laughed when the cup missed by at least three feet.

“I’m sorry, was that showing me how it’s done?” She continued to laugh as he grumbled and stood to pick up his trash and throw it away.

They bantered playfully the rest of the afternoon, and when they finally tired out, Killian returned their skates to the counter. As they walked out, he reached over and took her hand. He must have figured it was okay, since they had held hands most of the date. She didn’t know if she should let it continue, but she liked the way her hand fit perfectly into his. “I do hope you had fun on our date.”

“Fake date,” she clarified softly. She couldn’t lead him on too much. “And yes, I had a lot of fun.”

He smiled, though it wasn’t as bright as it had been earlier in the afternoon, as he opened the door of his car to let her get in. “I did too. Even if it wasn’t real.” He closed the door and walked to his side to get in.

As they drove home, she couldn’t help glancing in his direction. She was starting to think she was a little attracted to Killian, and that thought scared her a little bit because it wasn’t just physical attraction she was feeling. There was something else there, and she wasn’t sure she was ready to open her heart. However, after today’s date (fake date!), she knew she had to do something really impressive the next time. But what?


	4. Days Four and Five

The fourth morning passed as the others had with  playful banter being exchanged between them as breakfast was made and eaten. As Emma headed towards the bathroom to take a shower, she reminded him that the lunch date she had planned with Mary Margaret was this afternoon. She cleaned herself up, put her makeup on and said a ‘goodbye’ over her shoulder to Killian before heading out the door.  


Sitting across from her best friend at a quaint little cafe in the city,  she sipped slowly on her iced tea, letting it cool her from the warm summer heat. “So, how’s David and the baby?”  


“They’re doing good. I think David is just as tired as me because he insists on taking the 3am feedings, so I can get enough rest at night.” Mary Margaret chuckled as she shook her head. “A baby changes everything. Keep that in mind whenever you decide to have one.” She took a sip of her water before a bright smile came to her lips. “But I wouldn’t trade Oliver for the world, even if we weren’t planning to have him just yet.  


Emma smiled back at her. “It takes having a real relationship to even have a baby. You don’t have to worry about me just yet.”  


“You mean to tell me, there is no spark between you and your husband?” She asked with a giggle.  


Emma rolled her eyes at her question, but couldn't manage to keep a small hint of color from rising to  her cheeks. “Aren’t you just hilarious? You know I’m only in this for the money, not a life partner.”  


“Emma Swan, are you blushing?”  


She cursed herself silently. She had been doing too much of that lately because of Killian Jones, and now it was becoming noticeable to other people. “No. I do not blush over men.”  


“I think you are over this one,” Mary Margaret said with a bright smile. “Do you actually like him?”  


“No, I do not like him. He’s just very attractive is all. Even someone with poor eyesight could see that.” She picked up her glass and took another sip, turning her head, willing  the blush to go away.  


Mary Margaret leaned back in her seat and crossed her arms. “Somehow, I don’t believe you.”  


“Can we not talk about this anymore? I’m better at being single, and you of all people know that,” she said before she let out a small breath of air. “I’m not cut out for relationships like you and David.”  


“Sometimes all it takes is the right person to come along and change that.” She reached across the table and took her hand, squeezing gently. “Be honest with me, do you have some sort of feelings for Killian?”  


“Maybe? I don’t know,” she said with a sigh and a shrug. “Sometimes, I feel things when I talk to him that I’ve never felt with anyone else. I think we just understand each other is all.” She pulled her hand out of her friend’s grasp and leaned back in her chair again. “Besides, I doubt he feels anything for me.”  


“You couldn’t possibly know that unless you talked to him.”  


“Too bad that’s never going to happen.” A second later, their server placed their food in front of them. They said their thanks to her before Emma picked up her sandwich and took a bite of it.  


Mary Margaret sighed as she started eating her food, and Emma knew she what she was thinking. That she was too stubborn to let any man into her life again. But after what happened with Neal, it just seemed better to do things on her own. Men were nothing but trouble with a capital T in her book. Especially men like Killian Jones.  


“I don’t want you to spend your whole life alone, Emma. I’m only trying to look out for you.”  


She smiled softly at her as she nodded her head. “I know. But I can handle myself. I’m a big girl.” Mary Margaret chuckled causing Emma’s smile to grow. “Now, onto more pressing matters. How am I going to top Killian’s ice skating date?”  


\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  


When Emma arrived back home a few hours after saying her goodbyes to Mary Margaret, she walked into an empty apartment. Killian must have still been with his friends from work. She set her purse down and toed off her shoes before she made her way into the kitchen, looking through the cabinets as she tossed around ideas for another date with Killian. Mary Margaret had suggested a picnic. It was simple, yet sweet in a way because you put the effort into preparing everything yourself. Emma thought  perhaps dinner out and a movie afterwards. This, of course, caused her friend to tease her about just wanting an excuse to kiss Killian in the darkness of the theater. (She wouldn’t admit to Mary Margaret that the thought had jumped in her head faster than she could contain it.)  


She sighed as she closed the cabinet she was currently looking through. Surely deciding on a date wasn’t this hard. They weren’t even really married for God’s sake. “Maybe I should keep it simple. Do dinner and a movie,” she said to herself as she walked into the living room and dropped onto the couch. She curled up into a ball and within five minutes she was sound asleep.  


That’s where Killian found her about an hour later when he got back to the apartment. He smiled as he walked over to the couch and reached out to run his fingers through her hair, brushing against her forehead in the process. He pulled his hand back instantly when he felt how warm she was.  


She stirred from his touch, and her eyes blinked a few times before settling on him. “Hey, when did you get home?” she asked before an unexpected shiver ran through her body. “God, it’s freezing in here.”  


“I got home just now, and I’m pretty sure you have a fever.” He presses his hand to her forehead again. “Yeah, you definitely feel warm.”  


She shivered again and met his eyes. “Could you get me a blanket?” As he walked away, she continued to talk to him. “I can’t be sick. It was my turn to plan a date for us. And it has to be better than yours was.”  


He walked back over to her with a smirk on his face. “It’ll be too hard for you to top my date, love. And we still have a couple more days anyway, you have plenty of time to try.” He draped the blanket over her body. “For now, you’re not going to do anything or go anywhere until you feel one hundred percent better.”  


“I feel fine,” she said as she tried to sit up, instantly regretting that decision when she fell back against the couch with her head spinning. “Okay, maybe not,” she groaned.  


“Do you want me to help you to bed?” he asked with concern lacing his tone. When she nodded her head, he reached down and picked her up bridal style.  


Her arms clung to his neck the instant he lifted her. “Please don’t drop me.”  


“Have some faith in me, Emma,” he said as he carried her back to their bedroom. “I used to work at a bar when I was young, I’ve carried kegs heavier than you.” He laid her down in the bed and covered her again with blankets. “Would you like me to make you some soup?”  


The thought of eating instantly made her stomach turn and she shook her head. “Could you just stay with me?”  


“Of course.” He took of his shoes before he climbed onto the other side of the bed, and the moment he was situated, he pulled Emma close to him, so she could curl up and lay her head on his chest.  


“Aren’t you going to get sick if I’m this close to you?” she sniffled as she spoke, her nose beginning to stuff up.  


His hand began to move up and down her back in a slow motion. “I don’t get sick that easy. I think I’ll be okay. Just get some rest, Emma.” She hummed out a response as she fell back to sleep quickly from his attention.  


A few hours later, Emma was shaken out of her slumber. She blinked a few times, adjusting her eyesight. “Killian?”

She heard a soft chuckle before his face came into focus. “Of course it’s me, love. Who else would be here?” She grunted in response, silently telling him that his obvious sarcasm was unnecessary. “I made you some chicken broth if you feel up to eating something. My mom always said that soup and crackers is the best thing for you when you’re sick.”

“That sounds good,” she said as she sat up in the bed. She placed her hand over her forehead, attempting to keep the room from spinning. Apparently, her head was still a little fuzzy from the sickness. “Woah, head rush.”

“Okay, you stay right here, and I’ll bring the soup to you.” He helped lay her back against the pillows in an upright position and then walked out of the room.

Her head flopped slightly back against the pillows as she groaned softly. _This sucks! I was supposed to surprise him with a great date. Not get sick._ She breathed in deeply through her mouth since her nose seemed to be out of commission for the time being.   _I will just have to do something better than a picnic or movie tomorrow._

A moment later, Killian came back carrying a tray with a bowl of soup and a small pile of saltine crackers. “Your dinner, mi’lady.”

She giggled and failed in her best attempt at curtsy while she laid there. “Why thank you, my good sir.” He placed the tray across her lap. “You mean you’re not going to feed it to me?”

His eyes snapped to hers instantly. “Do you want me to?”

“No,” she grinned at his expression. “I just wanted to see if I could get a reaction out of you.”

“Of course you did. How are you feeling?” he asked as she lifted a spoonful of broth to her mouth.

“Still a little tired,” she answered after she swallowed. “I’ll probably just go back to sleep after I eat.”  

“Okay, well I will be right in the kitchen, cleaning up the mess I made. Just yell if you need anything.”

Then he was gone again, leaving Emma to eat and think in silence about where she would take Killian tomorrow after she felt better. Clearly, after he had taken care of her, a simple picnic or movie date would not be enough to be impressive. She had to think of something that he would never forget. Fake or not, she wanted this date to be amazing.  


\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  
Emma woke up first the next morning, and pulled out of Killian’s arms. She climbed out of bed and made her way into the bathroom. She felt as good as new. All the sleep and the soup he had made for her must have really done the trick. She could breathe through her nose again, and when she pressed her hand to her forehead, she could tell her fever had broken in the middle of the night.

She stripped her clothes and started the shower before getting in. She was so excited for the date she planned, that she had completely showered within five minutes. She turned off the water and wrapped a towel around her body tightly before she walked back into the bedroom to wake Killian. She figured it was okay to tease a little bit and stay in the towel.

“Killian,” she said as she shook his shoulder, earning a slight grunt from him. “Killian, wake up.”

“What time is it?” he asked as he stretched his arms above his head, his eyes still closed.

“It’s nearly 7. Now, get up.”

His eyes opened and he rubbed the rest of the sleep away before looking up at her. He blinked a few times as he took in her attire. “Please tell me this isn’t a dream.”

“It’s not a dream,” she smirked as she spoke. “But you don’t get to see anything other than this. Now, get up. We’re going out.”

“That’s just plain cruel, love,” he said as he sat up. “Where are we going so early in the morning, if I might ask?”

She grinned as she straightened back up. “That, my dear husband, is a surprise. Go take a shower, so we can leave.”

“So bossy,” he said before he climbed out of the bed and made his way into the bathroom.

The second the door closed behind him, Emma changed into her jean shorts and a tank top. Today was going to be full of thrills, and she couldn’t wait to see Killian’s reaction when he found out where she was taking them.

“Is there anything specific that I need to wear for this little outing?” his voice traveled through the closed door right before he turned on the water.  


“Just make sure you wear something comfortable to walk in for long period of time,” she grinned, knowing that gave nothing away.  


When she was dressed, she walked out of the room and headed to the kitchen to pack them a couple snacks for the day because she knew from the very few times she got to go as a child that prices in theme parks were outrageous. She placed a couple bags of chips and two bottles of water in a backpack, along with sunscreen, tylenol, and their wallets. “There, that should do it,” she said to herself as put the bag by the door.  


“You’re totally getting me back for not telling you when I was taking you ice skating,” he said coming up behind her causing her to jump, “aren’t you?”  


“Maybe.” She turned to grin up at him and brush a strand of wet hair from his forehead. “I’m just going to put my hair up and we can go.” She walked past him and back to the bathroom, pulling all her blonde hair off her neck and into a white elastic tie.  


She walked back to the living room a moment later to find Killian leaning against the door with the bag slung over his shoulder. “So are we going on a hike or something? That’s what it looks like we’re dressed and packed for.”  


“You might as well stop guessing. You’ll never figure it out,” she grinned as she spoke.  


“Someone is really proud of herself.”  


She shrugged as her grin grew even more. “I’m just really excited. Now let’s go!” Emma reached out and took his hand, pulling from the door and out of the apartment.  


\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  


“We have been driving for over an hour. Where the bloody hell are you taking me?” he questioned, getting antsy from the car ride.  


“We’re almost there, I promise. And you’re going to love it, so calm down.”  


Sure enough, within ten minutes, they were passing the first signs for Six Flags New England in Agawam, Massachusetts. “A theme park?” he asked fast with growing excitement. “You brought me to a theme park?”  


She giggled softly as his head whipped around again and again. “Yes, I did. I told you it was a good surprise. Have some faith in your wife.”  


Emma pulled the car through the front gate and paid for their parking, much to Killian’s arguing, claiming that this was her date to treat him to. As soon as they were parked, Killian got out of the car and was practically bouncing with excitement while they walked to the tram that would take them to the entrance of the park.  


“I don’t think I’ve been to a theme park since I was a teenager. And that was Thorpe Park in the UK.”  


“Then I guess I really did make a good choice, since I haven’t been to a theme park since I was a child and one of my foster families took me,” she said as she grabbed his hand and pulled him onto the tram. She noticed the small jump of her heart when she touched him, and she mentally cursed Mary Margaret for making her think about her feelings for Killian.  


After a five minute ride to the park’s entrance and then a ten minute wait in the line to get their tickets (coming early apparently had it’s perks), they walked through the front gate. Killian’s face lit up like a child’s. “This place is amazing. I can already see roller coasters!” he said excitedly. “Would you want to ride that first?”  


“We can do whatever you want today.” She laughed as he immediately grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the first thrill ride he saw.  


As they made their way from ride to ride, Killian’s enthusiasm never diminished. Emma could not help but grin as she watched his childlike happiness. She knew she had done a good job planning this date. It was much better than the original ideas that she had, since she got to see him smiling like that.  


The further they got into their day though, her stomach began to growl. Loudly, in fact. “Hey, Killian, would you want to grab some lunch? Or just stop and have a quick snack? I have to eat something. I’m really getting hungry.”  


“Then let’s get some lunch. We can save the snacks for later if we just have the munchies,” he said as he stopped to look at the park map. “What are you in the mood for?”  


“It doesn’t really matter.”  


“Then, let’s go right here.” He pointed to a restaurant on the map called The Works. “It’s pretty close to where we are, and looks like they have a pretty good variety.”  


She nodded her head and started to follow him as he walked towards the food that was practically calling to her now. After they stood in line, for what felt like forever, they ordered their lunch. Chicken fingers and fries for Killian and a slice of pizza and onion rings for Emma. They decided to share a soda to make the meal less expensive and took their food to a table.  


“Oh, thank god,” Emma said as she took the first bite of her food. “This is delicious. It doesn’t get much better than theme park pizza.”  


Killian chuckled as he ate some of his own food. “I’m glad you’re enjoying it.”  


“So, what’s the next stop on our list after we eat?”  


He shoved a fry in his mouth before he answered her with a slightly muffled, “I was thinking the Mind Eraser.”  


“Maybe we should go watch a show and let our stomachs settle after eating all this food. There’s a theater we passed back in the Rockville area,” she said as she ate another bite.  


“That’s probably smart.” He grinned at her lightly. “That was very good wife advice.”  


She chuckled and shrugged. “I have to try, right? We can’t let our audience down,” she says gesturing to the camera that was to their right.  


“Indeed.”  


They finished the rest of their meal and then headed to the theater. The next show wasn’t for a few minutes, so they waited in line until an employee opened the doors to allow the next group of people to enter the theatre.  


“A magic show?” he asked as they took their seats.  


“What?” She turned her head to face him. “You don’t like magic?”  


“It’s fake. Magicians are just illusionists.”  


“Someone is a cynic,” she said with tiny smirk. “Not all magic is fake. You just have to know where to look for it.”  


He raised his eyebrow at her slightly suggestive tone, but before he could question her on it. the curtains came up and the show began.  


_Good job, Emma. What are you trying to do? Flirt with him?_ Emma thought as she kept her eyes on the stage. _Get a hold of yourself._  


By the time the show was over, Killian must have forgotten all about what she had said because he was taking her hand and leading her from the theater and off to the next ride.  


\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  


When the sun started to set, they had ridden all the rides that Killian had wanted to and few smaller ones Emma had suggested. “You know, the fireworks start when the sun goes down.”  


Killian looked down at her after she had spoken. “Is that so? I’m betting you want to see the show?”  


“Well, yes. I love fireworks.”  


“Okay, then. Let’s go find us a spot. We can eat our snacks while we wait,” he suggested as they walked down the main street of the park.  


“There’s a good spot,” she said pointing a little ways in front of them. We’ll have clear view of the sky right there.”  


They got to the spot and sat down on the ground. Killian smirked and pulled her back against his chest. “There, you have me to lean against.”  


“And why couldn’t I have just sat like a normal person.”  


“Because we’re supposed to be a married couple and this is something a husband would do for his wife.” His arms weaved around her middle as he spoke. “So, just relax and enjoy it.”  


“Fine,” she said and relaxed in his hold. If she would ever have the guts to admit it, she might tell him that she liked his arms around her. Like how they woke up in the morning. But she wasn’t going to be the one to make a move. If he didn’t feel the same, and he was just doing this for the cameras, then she would save herself the embarrassment.  


But that didn’t mean she couldn’t enjoy it for the rest of the time they were “married”. She reached for the backpack and pulled out their bags of chips and waters. She opened one of the bags and held a chip to Killian’s mouth. “Here you go, husband.”  


He laughed as he took the chip between his teeth. “Thank you, wife.”  


They continued eating that way, Emma feeding him a chip in between each of her own bites, as the sun set below the buildings of Main Street.  


She pat his leg lightly as the first firework was set off. “It’s starting,” she said excitedly.  


As they sat there together on the ground watching the display of colors burst across the night sky, Emma couldn’t help but think about what Mary Margaret talked about the day before at lunch. About her wanting to kiss Killian. Maybe it was the atmosphere that was making her think about it; fireworks could be quite romantic.  


She turned her head slightly to look at him. His eyes were completely focused on the show. She could give the audience something to really flip out over, and she bit her lip as she thought it over a moment. “Oh, screw it,” she said before pulling out of his arms and turning to face him. She gripped his shirt collar and pulled him towards her until their lips met in an intense kiss. Her lips molded to his as his hand came up and cupped the back of her neck. He was kissing her just as eagerly, and she lost herself in the feel of his lips on hers.  


She pulled back after a few moments and met his eyes again. “Yeah, the audience will definitely like that,” she said softly, her heart beating hard in her chest.  


“Not that I didn’t thoroughly enjoy that, but what was that for?” he asked slightly breathless.  


She released his shirt as she settled back on the ground to watch the show again. “That was for the cameras. I thought the audience might enjoy something a bit on the romantic side.”  


“Well, I’m not complaining. That was-”  


“A one-time thing,” she said, effectively cutting him off. That probably shouldn’t happen again because after this week, they back to their normal lives. Away from each other.  


“As you wish.” His words came out soft. Like he was disappointed. But she wouldn’t look back at his expression. That would completely crumble her resolve. She didn’t need that to happen because she already knew she would never look at Killian the same way again.


End file.
